Posted: Sun, May 12, 2019, 10:53 AM ET (1453 GMT)
A test of the parachute system for SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft went awry last month. NASA said at a House space subcommittee hearing Wednesday that in a test in Nevada to demonstrate the "single out" capability of the four-parachute system, the remaining three chutes didn't open fully, causing a test sled to hit the ground faster than planned and damaging it. The cause of the failed test remains under investigation, including whether it was caused by a flaw in the parachute system or an issue with the test itself. Parachute design has been a key area of concern for the development of both SpaceX's and Boeing's commercial crew vehicles.